Two Men Charged With Ian Tomlin Murder

As first pictures of the 46-year-old victim are released

Victim Ian Tomlin

Detectives investigating the death of a 46-year-old father of two in Battersea have charged two men with his murder.

Michael Swan, age 45, of Enterprise Way and 48-year-old Gary Beech of Cromwell House on Charlotte Despard Ave have been charged with murdering Ian Tomlin. They appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court on Saturday October 20th and have been remanded in custody until a hearing at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.

A post-morten examination was also held at the weekend and Mr Tomlin's cause of death was given as a head injury caused by blunt force trauma.

Police were called to reports of a group of men fighting in Charlotte Despard Avenue on the evening of Thursday October 18th. Mr Tomlin was found with injuries after having been assaulted and was pronounced dead at the scene at 6.15pm.

By the time the police and ambulance crew had arrived, all those involved had fled the scene.

South West BCU commander, Chief Superintendent Sally Benatar, said today, “Firstly, I would like to offer my deepest sympathies to the family of Mr Tomlin’s family at this devastating time.

“Since the murder on Wednesday, officers from the Homicide and Major Crime Command have been working round the clock and have now made two arrests, which is positive news. We are aware of reports in the media regarding the circumstances of this murder; the investigation is still in its early stages and we are not in a position to be able to comment on speculation around exactly what happened and the possible motives at this time.

“I want to reassure those in the community that there will be extra patrols in the area surrounding the Doddington Estate in Battersea where the murder took place, in the coming days. There are already a number of dedicated ward officers that serve this area on a regular basis and I would encourage local residents to engage with these officers and share any information they may have that could be useful to the investigation.

“It is important to remember that while officers do their upmost to protect the communities they police, we are reliant on local residents and members of the public to engage with us and share any concerns or information that they may have. I can understand that there may be some reluctance in speaking to the police, but I want to reassure everyone that any information shared will be treated in the strictest of confidence.”

Anyone with information on this incident should call police on 020 8721 4005 or contact via Twitter @MetCC.